LPGA presence back in metro Atlanta for first time in 10 years
MILTON, Ga., March 10, 2016 - The Epson Tour, Road to the LPGA, announced today the addition of the Gosling’s Dark ‘n Stormy® Classic to the 2016 schedule. The 54-hole event will be held the week of May 16-21 at Atlanta National Golf Club, also the co-host of the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur.
The tournament’s name is derived from Gosling’s signature drink, the Dark ‘n Stormy®, a combination of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum and Gosling’s Stormy Ginger Beer.
“Gosling’s is excited to put our name and delicious Dark ‘n Stormy® beverage behind a brand new Epson Tour event in Atlanta,” explained Malcolm Gosling, seventh generation President & CEO, Gosling-Castle Partners, Inc. “Our company is also proud to be partnering with the LPGA on the UL International Crown in Chicago this summer as we feel investing in women’s professional golf is a great way for us to grow our brand and expose more people to Gosling’s Rum in a major market.”
First-round play will begin on Thursday, May 19 with the final round scheduled for Saturday, May 21. The field of 144 will be trimmed to the top 60 and ties following second-round play on May 20.
The total tournament purse is $100,000 with the winner earning $15,000 and taking a significant step up the Volvik Race for the Card money list. The top 10 on the Epson Tour’s final money list earn LPGA membership for the 2017 season.
“We’re excited to bring the Epson Tour into a great golf market like Atlanta,” said Chief Business Officer Mike Nichols. “Atlanta National Golf Club will be a top test of golf for our professionals and I know longtime fans of the LPGA will be excited to watch women’s professional golf again.”
This is the first time the LPGA has had a presence in the greater Atlanta area since the 2006 Florida’s Natural Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez at Eagle’s Landing Country Club. The last Epson Tour event in Georgia was the 2012 Vidalia Championship at Hawk’s Point Golf Club (Vidalia, Ga.).
“Atlanta National has prided itself on hosting premier golf tournaments and the Epson Tour is a perfect opportunity for us to showcase our venue while also gaining experience for the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur,” said Mike Davis, General Manager of Atlanta National Golf Club. “ClubCorp has 30 premier facilities in the area and we’re anxious to highlight women’s professional golf to our membership as well as the general public.”
Volunteers are the backbone of any professional golf tournament and the Gosling’s Dark ‘n Stormy® Classic will be no different. The tournament is currently looking for volunteers in a variety of areas including cart drivers, scorers, leaderboard operators and more.
The tournament also now has a presence on social media. The Twitter handle is @gosdnsclassic while the Instagram is @GoslingsDarknStormyClassic.
For more information about the tournament including playing in the pro-am and sponsorship availability, visit www.goslingsclassic.com or contact Tournament Director Mike Vajda at mvajda@synertiapartners.com or call 678-778-2000.
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